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By:

Divyaa Advaani 

2 November 2024 at 3:28:38 am

Presence Before Pitch

Walk into any business networking room and you will witness something far more telling than exchanged cards or polite handshakes. You will see personal brands at work — quietly, powerfully, and often unintentionally. The way a business owner carries himself, engages with others, and competes for attention in public spaces reveals more about future growth than balance sheets ever will. At a recent networking meet, two business owners from the same industry stood out — not because of what they...

Presence Before Pitch

Walk into any business networking room and you will witness something far more telling than exchanged cards or polite handshakes. You will see personal brands at work — quietly, powerfully, and often unintentionally. The way a business owner carries himself, engages with others, and competes for attention in public spaces reveals more about future growth than balance sheets ever will. At a recent networking meet, two business owners from the same industry stood out — not because of what they said, but because of how they behaved. One was visibly assertive, bordering on aggressive. He pulled people aside, positioned himself strategically, and tried to dominate conversations to secure advantage. The other remained calm, composed, and observant. He engaged without urgency, listened more than he spoke, and never attempted to overpower the room. Both wanted business. Both were ambitious. Yet the impressions they left could not have been more different. For someone new to the room — a potential client, collaborator, or investor — this contrast creates confusion. Whom do you trust? Whom do you align with? Whose values reflect stability rather than desperation? Often, decisions are made instinctively, not analytically. And those instincts are shaped by personal branding, whether intentional or accidental. This is where many business owners underestimate the real cost of their behaviour. Personal branding is not about visibility alone. It is about perception under pressure. In networking environments, where no one has time to analyse credentials deeply, people read cues — tone, composure, generosity, restraint. An overly forceful approach may signal insecurity rather than confidence. Excessive friendliness can appear transactional. Silence, when grounded, can convey authority. Silence, when disconnected, can signal irrelevance. Every move sends a message. What’s at stake is not just one meeting or one deal. It is long-term growth. When a business owner appears opportunistic, others become cautious. When someone seems too eager to win, people question their stability. When intent feels unclear, credibility erodes. This doesn’t merely slow growth — it quietly redirects opportunities elsewhere. Deals don’t always collapse loudly. Sometimes, they simply never materialise. The composed business owner in the room may not close a deal that day. But he leaves with something far more valuable — trust capital. His presence feels safe. His brand feels consistent. People remember him as someone they would like to work with, not someone they need to protect themselves from. Over time, this distinction compounds. In today’s business ecosystem, especially among seasoned founders and leaders, how you compete matters as much as whether you compete. Growth is no longer just about capability; it is about conduct. Your personal brand determines whether people lean in or step back — whether they introduce you to others or quietly avoid alignment. This is why personal branding is not a cosmetic exercise. It is strategic risk management. A strong personal brand ensures that your ambition does not overshadow your credibility. It aligns your intent with your impact. It allows you to command rooms without controlling them, influence without intrusion, and compete without compromising respect. Most importantly, it ensures that when people talk about you after you leave the room, they speak with clarity, not confusion. For business owners who want to scale, this distinction becomes critical. Growth brings visibility. Visibility amplifies behaviour. What once went unnoticed suddenly becomes defining. Without a refined personal brand, ambition can be misread as aggression. Confidence can feel like arrogance. Silence can be mistaken for disinterest. And these misinterpretations cost more than money — they cost momentum. The question, then, is not whether you are talented or successful. It is whether your personal brand is working for you or quietly against you in spaces where decisions are formed long before contracts are signed. Because in business, people don’t always choose the best offer. They choose the person who feels right. If you are a business owner or founder who wants to grow without compromising credibility — who wants to attract opportunities rather than chase them — it may be time to look closely at how your presence is being perceived in rooms that matter. If this resonates and you’d like to explore how your personal brand can be refined to support your growth, you can book a complimentary consultation here: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani Not as a pitch — but as a conversation about how you show up, and what that presence is truly building for you. (The writer is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

Ratnagiri ZP School teacher nabbed for molesting minor girl

AI generated image
AI generated image

Mumbai/Ratnagiri: In a shocker, Ratnagiri Police have arrested a Zilla Parishad school teacher along with nine others in connection with the alleged molestation of a 12-year-old girl and subsequent attempts to hush up the matter, official sources said.

 

Following a complaint by the survivor’s family, Bankot Sagari Police Station lodged an FIR against the prime accused, Nilesh Ashok Kamble, and nine others, including the Village Head and Deputy Sarpanch of Jawle, for intimidating the family to “let go” the crime.

 

The accused named in the FIR are: Jawle Village Head Sandeep Yashwant Kamble, Deputy Sarpanch Vaibhav Pandurang Bhanse, Raghunath Gunaji Bhanse, Prakash Ramji Shigwan, Pandurang Yashwant Shigwan, Subhash Ramji Shigwan, Manohar Janu Joshi, Shankar Ramji Hodbe, and Rakesh Salunkhe.

 

According to the FIR registered by Inspector Sanjay Vitthal Chavan, the July 23 incident unfolded when teacher Kamble allegedly lured two girl students, both aged around 12, to his home after school on the pretext of retrieving his “forgotten” mobile charger from the staff room of Sharda Vidyamandir School.

 

Once inside, he sent one girl out to buy eggs, leaving the other alone. At that point, he closed the door and allegedly pounced on her, kissing and touching her inappropriately, thereby outraging her modesty.

 

When the terrified girl raised her voice threatening to expose him, Kamble panicked and abruptly released her from his clutches.

 

Finally, six days later, she confided in her relatives and her friend, and the revelations sparked outrage in Jawle especially as a similar case surfaced in nearby Dabhol village.

 

When her family attempted to file a police complaint, local leaders, political activists, and pressure groups allegedly forced them into silence, warning that the girl’s future would be “permanently stigmatised.”

 

At a compromise meeting at the house of Subhash Ramji Shigwan, he purportedly advised the family to leave Jawle quietly and shift to Palghar until matters cooled down.

 

Though they initially agreed, conscience pricked them, and they returned home soon, determined to pursue justice for their daughter so other young girls could be spared of such trauma.

 

After enduring more drama and duress the family finally managed to lodge the complaint at Bankot Sagari Police Station in Mandangad, around 12 km away.

 

The teacher Kamble has been booked under BNSS Section 74 (1–5 years imprisonment) and POCSO Act Sections 8, 12, and 21, which carry up to three years’ jail and fines. He has been remanded to 14 days’ court custody.

 

The disturbing incident has shaken Ratnagiri, fueling demands for swift justice to the 2 victims and stronger safeguards for girl children, even as investigations continue.

 

“No mercy for 'monsters',” says Minister Yogesh Kadam

Quizzed on the twin molestation incidents that shook Jawle and Dabhol villages in July, Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam took a firm stand, saying “we are fully behind the victims”, earning laurels in his home constituency, Dapoli.

 

“Both the incidents took place not in the respective schools, but at the homes of the accused. I am with the villagers’ sentiments that there is no place for such ‘monsters’ in our society and they cannot be condoned in any manner. I have directed the local authorities to take stringent action against these persons,” said a grim Kadam.

 

Tejas Borghare, Editor of a local channel, www.kokankattanews.com – which first highlighted the incident – said that the two similar incidents of molestations have shaken the people of Ratnagiri.

 

The MoS’ stance is considered significant as some of the accused are reportedly activists of Shiv Sena, the ruling MahaYuti ally.

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